Isolation and characterization of Β-sitosterol from methanol extracts of the stem bark of large- leaved rock fig (<i>Ficus abutilifolia</i> Miq)

Abstract

This work was aimed at isolating and characterizing some bioactive constituent(s) from the stem bark of Ficus abutilifolia. The phytochemical analysis of the crude methanol extract indicates the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, saponnins, tannin, steroids and triterpenes. The extract was subjected to column chromatography which resulted in the isolation and purification of a white needle-like crystalline substance with a melting point of 134 – 136⁰C, the ¹³CNMR shows recognizable peak at 71.98 ppm assignable to the beta hydroxyl group and the ¹HNMR spectrum which shows an olefinic proton at δ 5.37 was identified as β-sitosterol. Identification of the compound was purely by spectral evidence.

Keywords:  Ficus abutilifolia, methanol extracts, phytochemical analysis, β-sitosterol